Birds of a Feather Talk Together

On this week's episode we discuss Blue Jays. Join John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Marquart as we talk all about Blue Jays.  We talk about how bird flu changed their population, their inconsistent migration, and their relationship with acorns and oak trees. We kick off the episode talking about Sharp-Tailed Grouse in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.  Check out pictures of the bird...

This week we are doing something a little different - we are telling you our origin story. With so many episodes out on different birds, we wanted to give our listeners an explanation of who we are, how we got together, and why we are making this podcast. Join John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Marquart in our Birds of a Feather Talk Together origin story.  Enjoy! Here are links to o...

John talks about the Christmas Bird Count, and then we talk all about the Mallard Duck.  From their sexual dimorphism (for part of the year), to their matching speculum stripes, to how they differ from other ducks. Join John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Marquart in our most recent episode.  Questions? Reach out to podcast.birdsofafeather@gmail.com  Thanks! Here are links to our soci...

We kick off the new year talking about the Puteketeke or the Great Crested Grebe. We were following closely while John Oliver's campaign to make this New Zealand's bird of the century, and are so excited to talk about this super cool bird. John Oliver used his show 'Last Week Tonight' to raise awareness about these birds, and in turn raised a ton of awareness about birds in gen...

These birds have claws on their wings when they are young, and may be a link back to the dinosaurs. Join John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, Amanda Marquart, and our guest Jacob Drucker to talk about the Hoatzin. This is a fun episode where we talk about these strange, unique, and downright fascinating birds.  Email us your questions at podcast.birdsofafeather@gmail.com  Follow us on Instagram f...

Join John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, Amanda Marquart, and our guest Jacob Drucker to talk about Rock Pigeons. One of our listeners wrote in and asked us to do an episode on Pigeons, and what a great idea that was! From their navigational abilities, to the impact that humans have had on their evolution, to their color variation, we cover so many interesting topics. You'll gain a new appr...

Part 2 of John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Marquart interviewing Jacob Drucker to discuss Hawaiian Honeycreepers.  Jacob Drucker is a Ph. D. candidate at the University of Chicago and the Field Museum studying how birds interact with tropical climates over ecological and evolutionary time. He has spent over a year in Hawaii working with the Kauai Forest Bird Recovery Project, as a...

John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Marquart interview Jacob Drucker this week to discuss Hawaiian Honeycreepers.  Jacob Drucker is a Ph. D. candidate at the University of Chicago and the Field Museum studying how birds interact with tropical climates over ecological and evolutionary time. He has spent over a year in Hawaii working with the Kauai Forest Bird Recovery Project, as a reg...

We have a Thanksgiving special this week as we discuss the Wild Turkey. These birds are a major conservation success story, hear all about it in this weeks episode. We also talk about John seeing a turkey in the Democratic Republic of Congo, how turkeys got their name, and learn all about their magnificent feathers. Join John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Marquart for Birds of a Feat...

New episodes coming soon. In the meantime, who wants free stickers?  We will announce rules to the sticker giveaway on our Instagram on Monday. Follow us @birds_of_a_feather_podcast  Thanks!!  Birds of a Feather Talk Together Podcast  One of the best new podcasts available. Also called the best bird podcast.  Here are links to our social and YouTube pages, give us a follow: YouTube  Instagram TikT...

Happy Halloween! Today we cover one of the smartest birds that also happens to be associated with death and overall spookiness: The Raven. They know how to use tools, can impersonate other birds, and possibly could even say the word "Nevermore"... Hear all about Ravens in this week's episode. John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Marquart discuss Ravens.  Email us your qu...

This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together , we explore one of the most viral and unforgettable birds on the planet: the Shoebill. Known for its enormous shoe-shaped bill, towering size, piercing stare, and almost prehistoric appearance, the Shoebill has become an internet sensation among birders, wildlife lovers, and curious viewers around the world. But beyond the memes and viral videos, thes...

Spooky season is officially here, as we get together to talk about Bloodsucking Birds. There is an event at The Field Museum in Chicago later this month that is about bloodsuckers of all kinds, so we decided to release an episode all about bloodsucking birds. Join John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Marquart as we discuss Vampire Finches, Oxpeckers, and the myth that Flamingos feed bl...

You've probably seen it on the news, but hear what John and Shannon have to say about the recent migration collision in Chicago. Last week Chicago had one of the largest migration nights ever, totaling what could have been 1 million birds in a single night. Unfortunately, this resulted in almost 1,000 birds colliding with buildings and dying. Hear about what caused this, what we can do to sto...

This week we discuss the Ring-Billed Gull and what differentiates it from other gulls. It's been a ton of fun to learn more about common birds, and then going back after listening/recording and seeing these common birds in a new way. You'll learn all about the Ring-Billed Gulls in this episode, as John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Marquart discuss these gulls. We also answ...

This is one of our favorite episodes to date. The Willard's Sooty Boubou is a bird that lives in the Albertine Rift in Africa at a very specific elevation. John and his team at the Field Museum are actually responsible for determining that this bird is in fact its own unique species. We talk about what that process was like, what birding in Uganda, Rwanda, and The Democratic Republic of Congo...

This week we discuss the Killdeer. These shorebirds (that aren't always near the shore) will put on a display where they pretend like they are injured to lure predators away from their eggs. Join John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Marquart as we discuss the Killdeer. We also follow up on a previous discussion about how smoke and wildfires impact birds. We talk about a study in C...

With the recent sightings of the Roseate Spoonbill in Green Bay, Wisconsin we thought it would be a good time to discuss these amazing birds. John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Marquart talk what gives them their bright pink color, why they have a receding hairline, and what they are doing so far up north. We also discuss briefly the Limpkin that has been seen up in the Chicago area,...

What lives in caves, uses echolocation to navigate through the air, and is nocturnal? Oilbirds! These birds are so interesting, and no they are not bats. John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Marquart discuss the Oilbird. This is a super wild one, so grab your night-vision binoculars and join us to learn more about the Oilbird.  We also answer a question about hummingbird nests. You can...

Why are Northern Cardinals so bright red? Learn how diet, pigments, and biology create one of the most iconic backyard birds in North America. This birding and birdwatching podcast explores cardinal behavior, coloration, and science for beginners and experts alike. This week we discuss a bird that is common in most of the US: The Northern Cardinal. The state bird in 7 states, this bird wasn't...

We all know the Great Horned Owl, you can close your eyes and picture it. Hear what experts John Bates and Shannon Hackett have to say about these amazing birds as they discuss them with RJ and Amanda. Although beautiful and majestic, these birds are vicious predators. We also answer one of our listener questions about what a species is, and why that matters. This opens up some really interesting...

John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Marquart discuss the Purple Martin. These birds live almost entirely in man-made structures in the Eastern US, listen to learn more. We also discuss what impact fireworks have on birds, and what the recent smoke across the US means for birds. After that, we read a mailbag question about a Grackle that has been killing other birds in the suburbs. It&...

We have a shorter episode this week as we dive into a few of our listener mailbag questions. We talk about Red Knots on Sanibel Island, Florida. We'll be back after the Fourth of July with some more full episodes. Check out our instagram @birds_of_a_feather_podcast for more updates. We'll post an episode there of when John was on Ologies with Alie Ward.  If you have any questions for us,...

On this week's episode we discuss the Frigatebird. John Bates, Shannon Hackett, Amanda Marquart and RJ Pole all talk about the Frigatebird, it's bizarre gular pouch and what is used for,  and whether or not birds fly 'for fun'. (Spoiler alert, we think they do!) We also answer a mailbag question about the "Owl Theory" from the true crime documentary The Staircase. Hea...

On this week's episode we discuss Sandhill Cranes. Join John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Marquart as we dive into the world of the beautiful Sandhill Crane. From their migration, to whether or not birds 'mate for life', we get deep into discussion on these magnificent birds. We also cover the Ruby Crowned Kinglet, and answer a mailbag question on Peacocks. Enjoy! Che...